SCOPE OF PRACTICE
An Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) generally come from a background in paramedicine and most have additional academic qualifications, usually at university, with enhanced skills in medical assessment and extra clinical skills over and above those of a standard paramedic, qualified nurse or other ambulance crew such as EMT’s and Ambulance Technicians
ECP skills in South Africa include:
- Full South African, adult and paediatric, advanced life support skills
- Full diagnostics assessment (Otoscopy, ophthalmoscopy, urinalysis, system based assessments)
- Thrombolysis, fibrinolysis
- Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI)
- On-scene discharge
- Administration of emergency medications
- Ordering X-rays and requesting further investigations
- Specialised intensive care unit transport of adults and paediatrics
South African ECPs are also required to complete several medical rescue training modules during their studies such as high angle rescue, light motor vehicle rescue and aquatic rescue.
